U.S.

Department of Commerce, Bureau of Standards

RESEARCH PAPER RP665

Part of Bureau of Standards Journal of Research, vol. 12, March 1934

THERMAL EXPANSION OF BEARING BRONZES

By Peter Hidnert

abstract
This paper gives data on the linear thermal expansion of cast bearing bronzes
(copper- tin and copper- tin-lead alloys) at various temperatures between 20 C
(68 F) and 200 C (392 F). The results obtained on heating and cooling are
shown in figures 1 and 2. Coefficients of expansion for various temperature
ranges are given in table 2. The coefficients of expansion obtained in the sec-
ond tests are generally higher than those obtained in the first tests. The addi-
tion of tin to copper, or lead to copper-tin alloys increases the coefficients of
expansion. Equations were derived which show the relationship between the
tin content and the coefficients of expansion of cast copper-tin alloys and be-
tween the lead content and the coefficients of expansion of cast leaded bronzes
with a copper-tin ratio equal to about 7.

CONTENTS Page
I. Introduction 391
II. Materials investigated 392
III. Apparatus 392
IV. Results 392
V. Conclusions 398

I. INTRODUCTION
Data on the linear thermal expansion of bearing bronzes have been
published in 1921. A supplementary investigation on the linear
*

thermal expansion of bearing bronzes was recently undertaken in

order to supply a demand for data on various cast bronzes and cast
leaded bronzes that have not been investigated previously. Meas-
urements were made of the thermal expansion of these alloys at
various temperatures between 20 and about 200 C. The effect of
tin in the binary alloys and the effect of lead in the ternary alloys
were determined.
Bronze and leaded bronze bearings are found in many types of
machines. The comparatively high melting points and strength of
these alloys make them more suitable for certain purposes than the
weaker and lower melting point white metals. Leaded bronzes find
1
Hidnert, Thermal Expansion of Copper and Some of Its Important Industrial Alloys, B.S. Scientific
Paper 410.

391
 —
392 Bureau of Standards Journal of Research [Vol. 12

wide applications on railroads, in the automotive industry, and in

stationary machinery. Information about the physical properties 2
including thermal expansion, at normal and elevated temperatures
which these alloys can safely stand, is therefore important.
The Bunting Brass & Bronze Co., Toledo, Ohio, furnished the
samples of bearing bronzes and information about the preparation
and the chemical composition. The author wishes to express his
appreciation for the cooperation by this company and by C. E.
Eggenschwiler, formerly research metallurgist for this company.
Acknowledgment is also due to the following members of the staff
of the Bureau: H. W. Bearce, W. Souder, H. S. Kawdon, and C. G.
Peters for valuable suggestions, to H. S. Krider for assistance during
the measurements, and to S. Alpher for aid in the preparation of the
figures.
II. MATERIALS INVESTIGATED
Table 1 indicates the chemical composition of the samples of bear-
ing bronzes which were investigated. Each sample was 300 in mm
length and 9 mm
in diameter. Samples 1472 to 1477, inclusive,
were made of virgin materials and the remaining samples from com-
mercial materials. All samples except 1477 were cast between 2,100
and 2,150 F into green sand molds. Sample 1477 was poured at
2,000 F. The melting was done in a gas-fired furnace. Bars from
which the samples were cut, were cast in the horizontal position and
were gated at the ends of the bars.
Table 1. Chemical composition of bearing bronzes

Chemical composition
Sample Phos- Antimo-
Copper Tin Lead Nickel
phorus
Zinc
ny

Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent

1472 99.20 0.04 0.76
1473 87.75 12.25 .02
1474 83.80 11.96 4.22 .02
1475 77.00 11.08 11.90 .02
1476 69.82 9.72 20.50 .02
1477 65.40 7.75 26.62 0.25 None Trace
1478 95.70 1.95 2.32 .03
1479 75.86 11.57 12.00 .20 .04 .25 0.15
1480 80.02 9.58 9.45 .15 .04 .60 .15
1481 82.28 6.70 7.48 .15 .05 3.20 .15
1482 88.63 8.58 2.08 .25 .34 .15
1483 86.75 9.97 .53 .03 2.75
1484. 73.00 4.45 21.79 .35 .05 .25 .15

III. APPARATUS
The apparatus described in B.S. Scientific Paper 410 was used for
the determinations of linear thermal expansion.

IV. RESULTS
Observations were made on the linear thermal expansion of the
bearing alloys at various temperatures between 20 and about 200 C.
The results obtained on heating and cooling are shown in figures 1
and 2. The expansion curves are plotted from different origins in
order to show the individual characteristics of each curve.
2
W. M. Corse, Bearing Metals and Bearings, American Chemical Society Monograph No. 53, 1930,
gives a history of bearing metals and bearings, literature references from 1900 to 1928, abstracts of selected
papers, and tables showing properties of bearing metals.
 —
Hidnert] Thermal Expansion of Bearing Bronzes 393

100 200 C
TEMPERATURE
Figure 1. Linear thermal expansion of cast bearing bronzes (samples 1J+72 to
1478).
 —
394 Bureau of Standards Journal oj Research [Vol. it

100 200 C
TEMPERATURE
Figure 2. Linear thermal expansion of cast bearing bronzes (samples 14-79 to
U84)-
 —
Hidnert] Thermal Expansion of Bearing Bronzes 395

The observations on cooling in the first test were, in most cases,

below the expansion curves obtained on heating in the first test.
Tests were repeated on a number of samples, especially in cases
where the observations on cooling in the first test did not he close
to the expansion curve on heating. The results obtained on the first
heating apply for cast samples as received, but the results obtained
in the second tests apply for heat-treated or annealed samples.
The average coefficients of expansion given in table 2 were com-
puted from the expansion curves in figures 1 and 2. The coefficients
of expansion obtained in the second tests are generally higher than
those obtained in the first tests. Table 2 also shows the difference
in length before and after each expansion test. The plus ( + ) sign indi-
cates an increase in length and the minus (— ) sign a decrease in length. 3

Table 2. Average coefficients of linear expansion of bearing bronzes

Average coefficients of ex- Average coefficients of ex- Change

Chemical in
pansion per degree centi- pansion per degree Fah-
composition i
length
Test grade renheit 2
Sample after
no.
heating
Cop- Tin Lead 20 to 20 to 20 to 20 to 68 to 68 to 68 to 68 to
per 60 C 100 C 150 C 200 C 140 F 212 F 302 F 392 F
and
cooling

Per- Per- Per-

cent cent cent X10-6 XlO-o X10-« X10-6 X10-6 XHH X10-6 XlO-o Percent
1472 3... 99.20 1 16.7 16.9 17.2 17.4 9.3 9.4 9.6 9.6 0.000
1473 ~12.~ 25~ -.000
87.75 1 17.6 17.7 18.0 18.1 9.7 9.8 10.0 10.1
~~4.~22~
1474 83.80 11.96 17.4 17.9 18.1 18.3 9.7 9.9 10.0 10.1 -.002
17.7 18.6 18.5 18.6 9.8 10.3 10.3 10.3 -.003
1475 77.00 11.08 11.90
18.4 18.5 18.7 18.8 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.4 .000

n
{ l
1476
18.6 18.6 18.6 18.8 10.4 10.3 10.3 10.4 -.005
69.82 9.72 20.50
18.9 18.9 19.0 19.1 10.5 10.6 10.5 10.6 -.000
1477

1478
65.40

95.70
7.75

1.95
26.62

2.32
n
{ i
19.0
18.8
17.1
17.0
19.0
19.1
17.2
17.1
18.9
19.3
17.3
19.0
19.4
17.3
17.6
10.6
10.5
9.5
9.4
10.6
10.6
9.5
9.5
10.5
10.7
9.6
10.6
10.8
9.6
9.8
-.009
-.001
-.001
.000
~~18.~6~
1479 75.86 11.57 12.00 i 17.9 18.3 18.7 10.0 10.2 ~~I6.~3~ 10.4 -.005
1480.... 80.02 9.58 9.45 18.0 18.4 18.4 18.6 10.0 10.2 10.2 10.3 -.003
14816... 17.7 18.1 18.2 9.8 10.1 10.1 -.002
82.28 6.70 7.48 "16." 2
{ I 17.8 18.0 18.2 "l8.T 9.9 10.0 10.1 -.001
1482 88.63 8.58 2.08 17.2 17.5 17.6 17.9 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 -.003
17.6 17.8 18.1 9.7 9.9 10.1 +.000
1483 7... 17.8 9.9 -.000
86.75 9.97 .53
17.5 17.8 18.0 . 9.7 9.9 10.0 .000
l! 17.6 17.9 18.1 "I8."3" 9.8 9.9 10.1
"~10.~2~
-.000
1484 73.00 4.45 21.79
n 18.4
18.7
18.9
19.2
18.8
19.2
18.8
19.2
10.2
10.4
10.5
10.6
10.5
10.6
10.5
10.7
-.007
.000

1
See table 1 for complete chemical composition.
2 The cofficient ofexpansion per degree Fahrenheit is equal to 5/9 of the coefficient of expansion per degree
centigrade.
3 Zinc 0.76 percent.
4
On cooling, the average coefficient of contraction is 19.0X 10~6 between 200 and 20 C and 18.2X 10"6 between
100 and 20 C.
4 On cooling,
the average coefficient of contraction is 19.5X 10" 6 between 200 and 20 C and 18.8X10-6 between
100 and 20 C.
6 Zinc
3.20 percent.
7
Zinc 2.75 percent.
8
On cooling, the average coefficient of contraction is 19.2X10-6 between 200 and 20 C and 18.8 X -6 between
100 and 20 C.

3 After
an examination of table 2, C. E. Eggenschwiler made the following comments: "It was especially
interesting to observe the rather progressive shortening of the test specimens' length at the end of the first
heating, as the lead content increased. Also to note, that the second heating tests did not show this con-
dition." He also stated that the results seem to indicate that the alloys are more compact after the first
heating. This has been verified by density measurements made by S. Alpher of this Bureau on duplicate
samples of 1476, 1477, and 1484, before and after heating to 200 C and cooling to 20 C. The results obtained
are as follows:

Density after
Density be-
Sample heating and
fore heating
cooling

1476 A 9.028 g/cm 3 9.031 g/cm 3

1477 A 9.362 9.366
1484 A 8.951 8.954

36763—34-
 ——
396 Bureau of Standards Journal of Research [Vol. It

Table 3 shows that the coefficients of expansion of sample 1472

which contains 99.20 percent copper and 0.76 percent zinc, are slightly-
larger than the coefficients of expansion of electrolytic copper con-
taining 99.97 percent copper. It has been shown in a previous publi-

gxio- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1

to
z
""•
*
a is 20 TO
200C_____
—
- "o
b-
"""8
• 100 C
20 TO

o
-
COEFFICIENTS

1 i 1 1 1 1 I 1
1 1 I
1
| |

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 £
PERCENT TIN
Figure 3. Effect of additions of tin on the average coefficients of linear expansion
of cast copper-tin alloys.
A tagged symbol indicates more than one value.

4
cation that the addition of zinc to copper causes an increase in the
coefficients of expansion.

Table 3. Comparison of coefficients of expansion of copper and copper-zinc alloy

Average coefficients of expansion per degree

centigrade
Material

i Hidnert, B.S. Scientific Paper 410.

Table 4 and figure 3 show

coefficients of expansion of cast copper-
tin alloys. From
these coefficients of expansion, the following equa-
tions were derived by the method of least squares:

200100 = (17.03 + 0.0646 Sn) 10" 6 (1)

2oa3oo= (17.47 + 0.0565 £ti) 10~ 6 (2)

where 20O100 represents the average coefficient of expansion between 20

and 100 C, 200200 represents the average coefficient of expansion between
20 and 200 C, and Sn represents the percentage of tin. These equa-
tions show that the coefficients of expansion of copper-tin alloys
increase with increase in the tin content.
* Hidnert, B.S. Scientific Paper 410.
 — — : 3

Humeri] Thermal Expansion of Bearing Bronzes 397

Table 4. Coefficients of expansion of cast copper-tin alloys

Average coefficients of ex-

Chemical composition pansion per degree cen-
tigrade

Copper Tin 20 to 100 C 20 to 200 C

Percent Percent X10-6 XlO-6

'
99. 97 16.8 17.3
f
17.4 17.8
17.5 17.9 I

2
95. 40 4.25
1 s 17. U7.7 i

17.4 17.8
f 17.4 17.7
17.3 17.7
2 94. 86 4.88
1 17.4 17.8
17.2 17.6
f
17.5 17.9
17.5 17.9
2 92.04 7.67
1 17.5 17.8
17.6 17.9
f
17.6 18.1
17.5 18.0
2 89. 69 10.14
1 17.8 18.1
17.8 18.2
* 87. 75 12.25 17.7 18.1
* 84. 84 14.95 18.0 18.2

i
Electrolytic copper, hot rolled. See Hidnert, B.S. Scientific Paper 410.
2 Four samples (inside and outside sections) cut from casting. See Hidnert, B.S. Scientific Paper 410.
3 Result on second heating.
* Sample 1473, present investigation.
« Hidnert, Physical Review, vol. 39, p. 551, 1932.

Figure 4 shows that additions of lead increase the coefficients of

expansion of cast bearing bronzes with a copper-tin ratio equal to
about 7. The following equations which show the relationship
between the coefficients of expansion and the lead content of the
bearing alloys were derived by the method of least squares from the
data shown in figure 4

2oaioo =(17.76 + 0.0475 Pb) 10~ 6 (3)

2oa2oo= (18.16 + 0.0355 Pb) 10" 6 (4)

In these equations, 2oaioo represents the average coefficient of expan-

sion between 20 and 100 C, 2 oa2oo represents the average coefficient of
expansion between 20 and 200 C, and Pb represents the percentage
of lead between and 20.50 percent. Table 5 gives coefficients of
expansion which were computed from equations (3) and (4).

Table 5. Effect of lead on the coefficients of linear expansion of cast bearing

bronzes with a copper-tin ratio equal to about 7

Average coefficients of ex-

pansion per degree cen-
tigrade
Lead

20 to 100 C 20 to 200 C

Percent X 10-6 X10-6

17.8 18.2
4 17.9 18.3
8 18.1 18.4
12 18.3 18.6
16 18.5 18.7
20 18.7 18.9
398 Bureau oj Standards Journal of Research [Vol. 12

Figures 5 and 6 show the coefficients of expansion of cast copper-tin

alloys and cast copper- tin-lead alloys for the range from 20 to 100 C
and from 20 to 200 C, respectively. These figures indicate that the
addition of tin to copper, or lead to copper-tin alloys increases the
coefficients of expansion. The addition of about 3 percent zinc to
two copper- tin-lead alloys (samples 1481 and 1483) does not appear
to have an appreciable effect on the coefficients of expansion. With

X!0"
o
CO
z
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Id
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1- 18
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u
Ll.
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O 17
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PERCENT LEAD
Figure 4. -Effect of leadon the average coefficients of linear expansion of cast
bearing bronzes with a copper-tin ratio equal to about 7.

The tagged symbol indicates the same value for both temperature ranges.

the aid of figures 5 and 6, it is possible to predict the coefficients of

expansion of other neighboring alloys that have not been investigated,

V. CONCLUSIONS
1. The expansion curves in the first heating of cast bronzes are in
most cases above the observations obtained in the first cooling.
2. The coefficients of expansion obtained in the second heating are
generally higher than those obtained in the first heating.
3. The addition of tin to copper, or lead to copper- tin alloys in-
creases the coefficients of expansion.
4. The following equations show the relationship between the tin
content and the coefficients of expansion of cast copper-tin alloys:

2oaioo= (17.03 + 0.0646 Sn) 10" 6

200200= (17.47 + 0.0565 Sn) 10" 6
 —
nidnert] Thermal Expansion of Bearing Bronzes 399

In these equations, 2 oaioo and represent the average coefficients

200200
of expansion from 20 to 100 C and from 20
to 200 C, respectively, and
Sn represents the percentage of tin between and 15 percent.

#/-

\ /• \ // •isAy/ \\

* AAAAAA
/ V \/ »8j6Jfi« \/ \/ \

<*> / \/ /°K/
/
A17.2
y
/\ ,
V wi7.9 v v V v \

G»
16.8 \g-3 \f w\p *gv
8 16 24 32
PERCENT TIN
Figure 5.Portion of triangular diagram indicating the effect of composition on the
expansion (in millionths per degree (J) of cast copper-rich binary and
coefficient of
ternary alloys between 20 and 100 C.
 —
400 Bureau oj Standards Journal of Research \voi. is, Hidnert\

8 16 24 32
PERCENT TIN
Figure 6. Portion of triangular diagram indicating the effect of composition on the
expansion (in millionths per degree C) of cast copper-rich binary and
coefficient of
ternary alloys between 20 and 200 C.

5. The following equations show the relationship between the lead

content and the coefficients of expansion of cast leaded bronzes with
a copper- tin ratio equal to about 7:

2 oaioo= (17.76 + 0.0475 Pb) 10" 6

200200 = (18.16 + 0.0355 Pb) 10" 6
In these equations, 2 o#ioo and 20^200 represent the average coefficients
of expansion of leaded bronzes from 20 to 100 C and from 20 to 200 C,
respectively, and Pb represents the percentage of lead between and
20.50 percent.
6. With the aid of figures 5 and 6, it is possible to predict the coeffi-
cients of expansion of other cast copper- tin and copper- tin-lead alloys.
Washington, November 14, 1933.